Brooklyn Neighborhood Guides

Gerritsen Beach

The small neighborhood of Gerritsen Beach is located in Southern Brooklyn between Sheepshead Bay to the west and Marine Park to the east. Gerritsen Beach has narrow streets and close-set homes, where some of the homes sit on the water attributing to the likening of a New England fishing village. The area is a tight knit community where many of its residents actually grew up in the neighborhood inherited the homes they are living in, and chose to remain in the area. Gerritsen Beach rounds out the top 100 of New York City’s best neighborhoods to live in and to raise a family. Many in the neighborhood enjoy the access of having a beach right in their backyards.

Gerritsen Beach is named for its developer Wolfert Gerritsen, who settled in the area in the 17th century. The area saw a surge of development in the 1920s when much of the previously marshland was converted into summer homes. Today the small bungalows still exist among more current residential plots. During this time, “The Vollies”, a local Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1922 when Gerritsen Beach was a small summer-resort community. This Department is now Brooklyn’s last remaining local volunteer fire department.

With the several sports fields located throughout the neighborhood in addition to the beachfront activities, a popular pastime amongst residents is sports. Swimming, volleyball, tanning, and relaxing are amongst the top four things to do in the summer. Most of the restaurants in Gerritsen Beach like Jordan’s Lobster Dock are all ocean and seafood oriented. A neighborhood staple is Beach Bar, a small, no-frills waterfront bar with a jukebox that blares country and classic rock.
There are also shops and stores lining Gerritsen Avenue and Avenue S that feature local beach-themed fare.

The real estate in the area is significantly less than other beaches in Brooklyn, but the offerings here are a bit more unique with a mix of mostly small bungalows and single- and multifamily townhomes. Most residents own their homes and it’s worth noting that the median sales price is around $350K while the median rent is around $1500. Townhomes and decadent seaside apartments are the specialty of developers here, ranging in price, depending on proximity to the water.

Transportation to downtown Manhattan is provided by the B31 bus to Kings Highway followed by the Q express train. You can also take the Command express bus.